This Time
by michellefaye
Summary: Aftermath of The Killer Tuna Jump. Seddie chaos. R&R.


**A/N: Hiya. After I saw The Killer Tuna Jump I felt I reaaaally needed to write something and this just kind of happened. I'll try to update ASAP, unless you hate it. **

**Btw, I know Freddie's birthday is on February 4th (because I googled it) but here we're gonna pretend it's in November and that this story takes place around early February.**

_**This story is rated T for language.**_

**Anywayyyy on to the story...**

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She visits him the in the hospital the following afternoon. Although she wanted to go in the morning she didn't want to seem too eager. The words she said to him the night before kept running through her mind at a rapid speed. _"When your face heals up, and you can chew again, let's you and me go grab some dinner and have some fun."_ She didn't plan on saying it, but it felt right after everything that happened.

He dropped everything and flew to LA thinking she was hurt. It wasn't something they ever discussed, but clearly he cares about her. And she jumped into a tank of vicious tuna fish to rescue him. Even though he never thanked her for it (and now he physically can't), he knows she cares about him just the same or she wouldn't have risked her life like that.

"Hey, Fredward," she says, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She slowly makes her way to the side of his lumpy hospital bed, ignoring Robbie's cheery greeting. Quietly, she continues, "How ya feeling?"

He mumbles incoherently through the gauze covering his mouth and Sam nods awkwardly. "Right, I forgot about that."

"Hey, Sam," Robbie calls.

"What?" She asks furiously, not even bothering to turn around.

"Is Cat coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, relax. She's on her way." She focuses her attention back to the battered, bruised, and broken boy beside her. Hesitantly, she places her hand gently over his and smiles to herself.

Freddie's eyes widen and he mumbles something from behind his bandages.

And a second later, the door swings open and Cat skips in. "I'm here," she sings happily. "I brought lunch. Who wants some Lettuce Eat Lunch takeout?"

"I do," Sam boasts and runs over, taking one of the small cardboard boxes from Cat's hands. Secretly, Freddie wishes she didn't get up. He was content with her by his side.

Cat excitedly hands a box to Robbie and he thanks her enthusiastically, and as she begins to hand one to Freddie, she stops short. "Oh yeah. Your mouth," she says bashfully.

He groans and looks up at the ceiling.

"He can't have solid food until the bandages come off," Sam explains, "but I bet if we mush this up, the nurse can put it in his food tube thingy."

"Sam, that's gross," Cat whined.

"Whatever. Maybe we should cut this visit short."

"Why? I just got here," Cat stomps her foot angrily.

"Jeez, relax. You can stay, but I think I'm gonna head out for now."

"Okay," Cat says wearily, opening her lunch.

As Sam is about to walk out, Freddie reaches for her and grabs hold of her wrist. She looks down at where they're touching and promptly meets his longing gaze. Then she backs away, shaking him off. "Yep, I'm out. Later, guys."

Exactly two hours pass until Cat finally enters the apartment with a glowing smile and Sam looks up from her spot on the couch.

"Hey, kid," Sam says. But Cat doesn't respond. Instead she immediately sits next to Sam and turns off the TV. "Uh, I was watching something."

"Why'd you leave so soon?" Cat questions, folding her arms.

Sam is taken aback. "Um, I just... I don't know, and it's none of your business anyway."

"Yes it is my business because I know you love Freddie and you didn't spend more than five minutes with him today and that's wrong."

"Well it's kind of boring since he can't talk."

"I thought you'd like it that he can't talk."

Sam shrugs. "So what did you and Robbie talk about for two hours?"

"Don't change the subject," Cat scorns, as Sam stands up and heads for the kitchen. She opens the refrigerator and pulls out a root beer. "Oh no, Sam, not a root beer."

Sam responds by opening the bottle and chugging it.

"Oh boy. Something must really be bothering you. You should do the wise thing and tell me what is it so I can help you."

"There nothing you can do to help," Sam groans, setting the bottle down roughly.

"At least tell me what's wrong..." Cat gets up and approaches the kitchen cautiously.

"Fine," Sam snarls. "What's wrong is the fact that I asked Freddie out yesterday."

"That's not wrong. You have feelings each other, so it's normal."

"You don't get it. As soon as Freddie is better, he's going back to Seattle to finish school and everything will be different. I can love him as much as I want, but this isn't forever and I'd be stupid to even try to make a long distance whatever work," Sam says, obviously frustrated.

"But you and Freddie love each other. That should be enough," Cat inquires.

"Too bad it's not. How would you feel if Robbie was suddenly moving to a different state?"

"I'd be crushed... but that's not happening so it's not important. I think you and Freddie should just go out and enjoy each other's company and have lots of fun. Make the time that you have with him here count," Cat advises. "Even with his broken limbs."

"Wow. For once you make a good point."

"Yeah," Cat grins. "And I also got to hear you say you love Freddie, so this is a win-win situation."

Sam rolls her her eyes and replies, "Yeah, whatever. I love the nerd, okay. It's not a big deal, and I'm sure he doesn't feel the same way so-"

"Of course he feels the same way. He gave you a thumbs up when you asked him out," Cat marvels giving Sam her knowing look.

"It's a thumbs up. It's seriously not a big deal, so relax."

"I'll relax when you finally spend time with Freddie."

"I'll finally spend time with Freddie," Sam mimics, "when he can talk."

"Fair enough."

During the 48 hour wait for Freddie's mouth to heal, Sam gets a call from Mrs. Benson frantically wondering where her son is. "He told me he was going to Los Angeles to visit you in the hospital because you got ran over by a sports utility vehicle, but he's still not home. Where is he?"

"Uh, he's in the hospital."

"WHAT?" Mrs. Benson cries loudly into the phone.

"Visiting me," Sam adds quickly. "But I'm doing well, thanks for asking."

"Can I talk to him? Is he homesick? Oh my poor baby."

There's a wave of nausea that ruptures through Sam's stomach, but she keeps it down. "He's in the bathroom. Call back in a half hour." And with that, she hangs up her phone and rushes to her motorcycle to visit Freddie in the hospital. She hopes his mouth gauze will be off today, or else she'll be in deep shit with his mom who will more than likely hop on a plane to see him if she realizes something is wrong.

As she arrives to the hospital and runs in Freddie and Robbie's shared room, she locks eyes with Freddie and notices immediately he still can't talk. (Which means they still can't go out to dinner.)

"Damn it," Sam sneers, her hands balling into fists by her side. "Why can't you talk yet?"

He mumbles a response as her cell phone rings again. "It's your crazy face mother," Sam tells him angrily. She answers the phone hesitantly. "What?"

"It's been exactly thirty minutes. May I speak to my son?"

"Um, he doesn't want to speak to you."

Mrs. Benson gasps. "Why not? I'm his mother!"

"He thinks you're too overbearing," Sam replies slowly. "And he also thinks that maybe, after he graduates from Ridgeway, he's gonna move out here."

Freddie looks at Sam in complete shock after this statement. His mom is surely going to flip. And Sam knew Freddie most likely wouldn't move to L.A. anyway, but she said it hoping he would get the hint.

"To California?" Mrs. Benson nearly screams. "Oh I don't think so!"

"Too bad he's been 18 for like three months now so you're not in charge of him."

"Just let me speak to my son," Mrs. Benson says sternly.

"No," Sam answers simply, hanging up the phone. She looks at Freddie, who was in awe (Sam guessed this because his eyes were really wide) and she says, "You better hope your insane mother doesn't get on a plane to see you... because if she sees you in this condition she'll never let you come back to visit me."

He sighs, closing his eyes for a few moments. And Sam notices Robbie is asleep, facing away from them.

"Just one more day," Sam whispers, approaching Freddie's bed. "Just one more day 'till you can talk again."

He nods happily.

"And four more weeks until you get these casts off."

The room goes completely silent and only the beeping monitors can be heard. Sam clears her throat and says in a low voice, "You could have died, you know. Those tuna fish could have ripped you to shreds."

He boldly takes her hand and squeezes it. She imagines him smiling under his bandages and it brings a tender smile to her face. "Just one more day."

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**(I had the biggest internal debate on whether to post this under iCarly or Sam and Cat, and I chose Sam and Cat because it takes place in that world, not the Seattle world... I hope Seddie shippers read Sam and Cat fanfics or this will be awkward...)**

**Review?**


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